A Place Called Home

So, as you all know, I am going to be living with three or four host families during my exchange. My first host family is the Bartosek's. They live in Kybybolite. I will stay with them till the end of November. My next host family is the Evans' I will move in at the end of November and stay till March or so. I am not sure who my third and fourth host families are going to be, but I'll let you know when I do. Anyways, that means I have to pack up all the shit I brought over here PLUS everything that I've accumulated in the four months that I've stayed with that family and move four times. I have lived in the same house my entire life. This is a pretty big first move, halfway across the world. . .The thing is, it didn't occur to me that I would have to move everything four times this year. So I packed before leaving the US thinking that I only had to put it into my massive suitcase's once to get it there and once to take it back. WRONG!!!!! Anther thing that never occurred to me is how it must be to be the host family. To know that you have a complete stranger coming to live in your house for the next four months. And that you just have to hope it goes well. I have been very lucky in that I get on with both my known host families VERY well. Anyways, over the next year I'll have four bedrooms. A far cry from the one I've know all my life. Here is my first one.

It used to be Fran's room, so some of her stuff is still on the walls. Fran moved into Claudia's room and Claudia has been sleeping with Mum for the last three months. Thanks guys. :) Cause being able to have that little bit of privacy, being able to close a door, has made all the difference.

The Australia Map on my wall above my bed has been marked with permanent texter along all the roads I've taken on my many travels. There are dots in all the towns I've visited. It'll make it easier to remember all the great places I've gone. Oh and that's my St. Kilda scarf hangin from the top right bed post. It was the first game I saw, so now I'm a St. Kilda supporter.

Moving to four different host families also means that I will go through four different kitchens, four different lounge rooms, four different dining rooms, four different backyards and four different bathrooms. This is the kitchen out at Kyby.

And the Bathroom/toilet. They have this funny thing here where the bathroom is separate from the toilet. If I say I want to go to the restroom, they take me to the bathroom where there is no toilet. . . .the toilets are usually in a little, cut off cubical like thing in the laundry room or just a separate room next to the bathroom. You can see the toilet at the end of the hall in this photo, the doorway to the right is the bathroom.

This is the dining room. Where we eat out meals. In the Bartosek household, Monday night's Nic cooks, Tuesday nights Cluade cooks, Wednesday is tea at Dad's, Thursday Fran cooks and then Friday through Sunday is GYO (Get Your Own). Pretty clever if ya ask me. :) Mum does the wahing, cleaning and makes breakfast (happy??) :) And she's just awesome